


Pointed in the Right Direction

by Merfilly



Series: Growing Up Jedi [12]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: Rebellion Era - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-24
Updated: 2016-12-24
Packaged: 2018-09-11 17:21:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,038
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8999872
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Merfilly/pseuds/Merfilly
Summary: A surprising person offers intel on where Mace might be, as well as the Sith.





	

As far as plans going off-track went, Mara was thinking this was not an unmemorable one to be in the middle of.

Mace nor Ponds could be found on Cato Neimodia.

Neither could Dooku, from anything their careful searching had turned up.

That searching had brought them face to face with the reason they had gone off track, namely one Rune Haako with an entire squadron of battle droids and magnaguards. Mara recognized him from the briefing Caleb had given on their way there, of possible problems left over from the Separatist War.

"You will come with me, master Jedi, and your friends," Rune said. He was focused solely on Caleb, but then the Knight had gone, on instinct, for his lightsaber hilt, while Mara, like the two Twi'leks and both soldiers, had reached for blasters on being threatened.

"And if we don't feel like it?" Caleb asked in a nonchalant voice, not backing down.

"Then you choose to prove the aggression of the Jedi as truth?" Rune Haako asked. "Where is the vaunted negotiation skill you claim to have in your order?"

"We tend to leave that by the door when electrostaffs and blasters come out to play," Caleb told him, but he slowly straightened, catching the same thing Mara was feeling in the Force.

Haako was not here to fight.

It was more clear that all was not as it seemed when not a single one of their weapons were taken, even as the droids surrounded them, but Caleb was smart enough to make certain his lightsaber vanished under his robe. Likewise, the blasters were concealed more carefully, so to outward appearances, it did look like the Republic forces were prisoners of the Trade Federation leader.

They were walked to a building not far from where they had been 'captured', and into a room where the droids stopped… and Haako looked at Caleb.

"You."

"Why don't you bring in two of your guards, and let me bring my youngest member in? She helps keep things straight, because my memory is a little poor, given the effects of the war." Caleb turned the charm on, even as he reached back to put a hand on Mara's shoulder to draw her forward.

"Bah. A girl is not threat enough to require two guards. If you are so feeble, bring her." Haako entered the room ahead of them, supremely confident. Mara tested her sense of the Force as the rest of their team settled, unwillingly, to wait. All she could feel was a trepidation under that confidence. She settled into her role of being Caleb's assistant, and paid close attention to all the visual cues she could determine, as well as to the Force.

"You come seeking the Sith," Haako said bluntly, once the door closed. "If he were still here, I would gladly point him out to you, but he is gone." The man gestured broadly. "Our worlds are only just recovering from the battles of the war you claim took your memory. It is not my wish, and I speak for the Federation now, to see the war ignite once more."

"Then any help you can give to send us properly on our way would be appreciated."

Haako made a small sound, then his eyes narrowed. "Why do you not ask the other Jedi, the slayer of Fett?"

Caleb, to his credit, didn't miss a beat. "We were working from two different angles, and he has not reported in from his side of things. If you wish the threat of war removed, isn't it better to know two teams are working on this?"

For her part, Mara was relieved that Mace had been seen and was known to this member of the Trade Federation, one who seemed to be honestly concerned over his people (and profits, no doubt, but you had to have talent and workers to stay in business). The fact Mace had left here and not made his progress known to the Temple was worrisome. However, her master was a canny survivor, and Ponds was with him.

"The Sith was headed for a place that does not exist. A world with an ancient name for 'hell'," Haako said. "The Jedi must have followed him there, because he took the name and left."

"What is that name?"

"Malachor."

+++

The argument didn't start until they were in space, a hyperspace jump back toward Republic space.

"I think we need to leave this to Master Windu, or let my Master handle being his back-up. Malachor is barely more than a myth, and we can't find solid coordinates on it!" Caleb said.

"If he's chasing Dooku to an interdicted planet, one thought to be the embodiment of _haran_ , he needs back-up now!" Mara argued.

"We're not the kind of Plan B this thing takes!" Caleb said. "You can't seriously be considering taking non-Force sensitives to a planet like that? Have you ever read what happens on planets that are Force Nexuses?"

Mara glared at him. "I know well and good what happens at those planets! I've been to one, and Mom survived another!" She then bit her lip, as she probably shouldn't have said either one. Caleb's eyes narrowed.

"I contact Depa. She weighs in, and then we re-evaluate!"

The younger Jedi mitigated her glare, carefully slipping into reluctant agreement. "Fine. We play it your way. But I won't lose my master!"

Caleb softened his own expression, reaching out to touch her shoulder lightly. "My Master won't let anything happen to him, Mara. You know how they are."

"Yeah, I guess." She let her shoulders slump, and then sighed. "Alright. You contact her. I'm going to go meditate, see if I can feel the stubborn glitch that chose me as a padawan."

Caleb smiled, nodding at that description, and went to get hold of Depa Billaba.

Mara slipped away to her room, already plotting the next move she would make. She was pretty certain that if her own mother couldn't help her, if Depa told them to steer clear, that her uncle Anakin would be able to, even if he didn't have much love for Mace Windu. 

Anakin Skywalker never failed to take care of his family, after all.


End file.
